Most of us are familiar with the ASE testing and certification program and the standards it has brought to the fleet repair industry. What you may not know is how the ASE Industry Education Alliance is working to make heavy-duty service education better. The National Automotive Technicians Education Foundation (NATEF) is a member of the Alliance and works with the industry to establish standards for training programs at the high school (secondary) and college (post-secondary) levels. These programs are our main source of future technicians.
To properly prepare students for a career in the industry, training programs must do more than provide technical information—they must not only educate students in the current methods of heavy-duty maintenance and repair, but also provide a “taste” of what a career in the industry is like on a day-to-day basis. It’s just as important that our entry-level technicians understand proper work and safety habits as much as they understand the technology.
Program content also is critical. If the curriculum does not teach the skills needed (academic as well as technical) for employment in our industry, both the entry-level technician and the employer may become discouraged. Another critical element is the instructor. Instructors working in NATEF-accredited programs must maintain their ASE credentials in the areas they teach. Additionally, they are expected to attend update training and serve as a role model for their students, demonstrating a love for the industry as well as a commitment to lifelong learning.
Couple the right curriculum, proper facilities, equipment and an ASE-certified instructor with other key elements including program purpose, administration, learning resources, budget and student services, and you have the formula to produce high-caliber graduates adequately prepared to enter the workforce or pursue additional training at a post-secondary training program. This is where industry involvement enters.
Since quality training is necessary to meet the ever-increasing need for technicians, industry involvement is vital on a national, as well as local level. What can you do to participate in the educational process on a local level? First, get involved with local technical training programs. Your tax dollars fund secondary (high school) and some post-secondary programs. You have the right to insist that students acquire the right skills you need in your business. Your voice can be heard in a number of ways.
Participate in job fairs held by local schools. Explain the various career opportunities available. Become a member of your school’s advisory committee so you have direct input on the program. NATEF-accredited programs are required to have an active advisory committee that gives feedback on curriculum, instruction and so on. Attend school board meetings so decision makers know that you need to hire their graduates and have a vested interest in doing so. Insist that the program meet the national standards and become ASE certified. Think about it—how would a school know what kind of product to make (the students) if the industry (the employers) that need the product don’t speak up?
You also can participate by allowing your technicians to be a member of an on-site evaluation team, necessary for ASE program certification. Finally, make a commitment to the future by offering co-op or apprenticeship opportunities in your shop for students. The schools desperately need your commitment.
